three-bean chili and cheddar jalapeno corn muffins.

I think the below email that I received today from the boy says all there is to say about this chili (and it also sums up my sentiments exactly). 

Your chili is the bomb.com.  Even better the second day after it marinates over night.  

This is comfort food at its best - super easy, super delicious  and (surprisingly) super healthy.  I promise you wont miss the meat in this and because its vegetarian you can eat it on a daily basis and not feel guilty at all.  I am guessing this will be on heavy rotation for the rest of the winter.  Hibernation food at its best.  

The corn muffins are completely unnecessary, but to me its sacrilegious to eat chili without a side of cornbread. The cheddar and jalapeno add-in's elevate the muffins from plain to special which is always a plus in my book.  

Three-Bean Chili

1 15-oz can black beans
1 15-oz can kidney beans
1 15-oz can pinto beans
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
16 - 18 ounces fire roasted crushed tomatoes
2 tablespoons grapeseed oil or vegetable oil
1 chipotle chili in adobe, diced plus a teaspoon (or more) adobe juice
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons dried oregano (preferably Mexican oregano)
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon unsweetned coco powder
1/4 cup cilantro, diced (plus more for garnish)
Salt and pepper to taste

Garnishes - Diced jalapenos, sour cream, cheddar cheese, green onions, cilantro

Heat vegetable oil in a large pot on medium heat, when hot add diced onion and garlic, cook, stirring occasionally until the onion and garlic is lightly browned and softened.  Add the chipotle and juice to the pot and cook for another minute.  Add the beans, tomatoes, chili powder, oregano, cumin, and cocoa powder.  Turn the heat down to medium low and let the mixture simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Taste and add salt and pepper as necessary.  Garnish and eat! 

Jalapeno Cheddar Corn Muffins
Recipe adapted from Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything

1 1/4 cups buttermilk, yogurt, or milk (but not skim milk here)
2 tablespoons oil or butter
1 1/2 cups medium-grind cornmeal
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup jalapenos, diced
1 cup cheddar cheese
1 teaspoon chili powder

Grease a 12 cup muffin tin.  Heat your oil or butter in the microwave until good and hot.  Set aside.  Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl along with the jalapenos, cheese, and chili powder.  Add the egg, oil/butter, and yogurt/milk to the dry ingredients.  Stir until well combined.  Portion the batter out into the muffin tin.  Bake for about 20 - 25 minutes, until the tops are lightly browned and the muffins pull away from the side of the pan.  

boyfriend jeans.

On a completely unrelated food topic, I am currently obsessing over boyfriend jeans (probably because buying a pair is completely impractical for my life). There is something about their loose fit that screams effortless chicness to me especially when paired with boyfriend-esq loafers or single-sole pointy toed pumps (like glitter Manolos! So glad I bought those now.).  They are just relaxed and casual and are epitome of what I wish my life was like.  Maybe if I buy a pair their persona will have an affect on my life.  Probably not but maybe it will make me feel a little cooler.  

Images via Pinterest.

butternut squash and cider soup.

I leave for Miami in a month, which means my diet should have started about 3 weeks ago but 3 weeks ago was Christmas and New Years and anniversary celebrations and a constant stream of cookies and cake and pork buns.  It seemed to me that dieting during the holiday season was the worlds worst idea, I would fail miserably and would scold myself every time I did fail miserably (I have no self control around the parade of sweets that seems to show up with abandon in December.)  So here I am, now a month before I go away and its time to get a little more serious about things (just a little, because I’m not much of a dieter – I adhere by the rules of moderation eating which has served me well thus far).  My, when I decide to eat healthier should probably eat less cookies food of choice is soup.  It’s filling and warm and you can literally put anything and everything into a pot and make it taste good.  Currently my favorite soup involves a rich base of pureed butternut squash accompanied by a plethora of spices and a generous amount of apple cider. It tastes creamy and indulgent which is exactly how health food should taste.   

Butternut Squash and Cider Soup
Adapted from “The Essential New York Times Cook Book” by Amanda Hesser

Serves 4

1 shallot thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
¾ cup vegetable broth or water
3 cups peeled, seeded, and cubed butternut squash
¾ cup apple cider
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon cayenne
¼ - ½  teaspoon cayenne
¼ cup fat-free or low fat Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
½ teaspoon salt, or more to taste
Cracked black pepper

For Garnish (optional) – Dusting of cumin, a dollop of yogurt, squeeze of lime, minced cilantro.

In a medium saucepan over low heat, add shallot, garlic and 1/4 cup vegetable broth/water. Cook until the shallot and garlic are softened, being careful not to burn them, 3-5 minutes. Add the squash and the remaining vegetable broth/water and bring to a boil. Add cinnamon, cumin, and cayenne. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer until the squash is soft, about 20 minutes.

With a potato masher, press the squash down until semi-pureed, then add the cider and with an immersion blender puree the soup until smooth (or use a Cusinart). Add the yogurt and the salt, and continue to puree. If soup looks too thick, you can think it down with more broth/water, if you have any on hand, or with more cider. Continue to taste. Add 1 tablespoon lemon juice and stir.

Garnish with cumin, yogurt, a squeeze of lime, chopped cilantro, and cracked black pepper (if you are using them). 

good reads.

I just started reading Dearie the biography about the life of Julia Child written by Bob Spitz which isn't surprising because I adore Julia Child and also because at least 1 in 5 books I read have something to do with food.  I'm not sure why I enjoy them so much because usually when I finish reading them I end up feeling a little depressed about my own life (possibly because I work in a cubicle and not on some awesome farm in upstate New York where I tend my own goats and make my own hard cider and have a significant other who can build me a fence in a day and also throw me over his shoulder in order to carry me up the stairs.  I have silly dreams.).  Nonetheless, I end up devouring every food related book I can find.  I sometimes peruse Barnes and Nobel looking at all the food books and making notes in my iPhone about which ones I need to put on hold at the library (I'm fairly certain there aren't that many left that I haven't read but I could be mistaken).  Below is a list of some of my favorites.  Even if you don't love food quite as much as me I imagine you would enjoy these (especially Blood Bones and Butter - it is a beautiful story.)  And now that its winter there is no better time to curl up at home with a really good book.  

hummus kawarma (with lamb).

Apparently, my mom does read my blog! (Yes, I sometimes worry that all the people who I think love me never read it. *Cough* Tyler *Cough*) But mama bear does read it and I discovered this on Christmas morning when I opened one my presents and there lay the Jerusalem cookbook that I put on my wish list!  (I also got the gold wishbone, which sadly looked not nearly as wonderful as it did online.)  I have spent the better part of my evenings reading all the recipes, book marking pages, and making supermarket lists like a mad woman in preparation for an Israeli cooking binge.  I deemed it necessary to start with the most classic of dishes hummus, solely because the first the first time I made homemade hummus, I missed the tiny but very important step of cooking the chickpeas after the overnight soak (I have the tendency to speed read).  I called my Mom in a panic saying my hummus was grainy and chunky.  It was only after her going through all the steps with me that I realized I miss the crucial step of cooking the chickpeas.  Lesson learned the hard way.  (Also throwing out 6 cups of chunky hummus is very messy and very not fun.)  I feel I finally conquered my hummus demons because this hummus is ridiculously good - unbelievably creamy and rich.  The lamb “topping” is also excellent (all those spices!), it takes the hummus from side dish status to meal status.  Throw in a bowl of olives, a chunk of feta, several warm and fluffy pits, and some cucumber salad and you my dream meal. 

Hummus

Recipe adapted from Jerusalem

I decreased the amount of tahini recommended in the original recipe because as much as I love tahini it was too much for me.  I am going to say this again as well, this is the best hummus I have ever eaten.

1 ½ cups/250 grams dried chickpeas

1 teaspoon baking soda

6 ½ cups/1.5 liters water

¾ cup + 2 tablespoons tahini paste

4 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

4 cloves garlic, crushed

6 ½ tablespoons/100 ml ice-cold water

Salt

The night before, put the chickpeas in a large bowl and cover them with cold water at least twice their volume. Leave to soak overnight. 

The next day drain the chickpeas.  Place a medium saucepan over high heat and add the drained chickpeas and baking soda.  Cook for about 3 minutes, stirring constantly.  Add the water and bring to a boil.  Cook, skimming off any foam and any skins that float to the surface.  The chickpeas will need to cook between 20 and 40 minutes, depending on the type and freshness, sometimes even longer.  Once done, they should be very tender, breaking up easily when pressed between your thumb and finger, almost but not quite mushy. 

Drain the chickpeas.  You should have roughly 3 2/3 cups/600 grams now.  Place the chickpeas in the food processor and process until you get a stiff paste.  Then with the machine still running, add the tahini paste, lemon juice, garlic, and 1 ½ teaspoons salt.  Finally slowly drizzle in the iced water and allow it to mix for about 5 minutes, until you get a smooth and creamy paste. 

Transfer the hummus to a bowl, cover the surface with plastic wrap, and let it rest for at least 30 minutes.  If you are not using the hummus until later, refrigerate it but make sure you take the hummus out of the fridge 30 minutes before eating.

Kawarma (Lamb)

Recipe adapted from Jerusalem

This lamb is really good.  It’s sweet but not in a sugary way.  It’s sweet from the spices (most of these spices we usually associate with baked goods in the US so it’s interesting to eat it in a savory application).  I wanted a little hint of heat so I added in some urfa chiles.  (I love a little heat with sweet.) The lemon sauce really ties the whole thing together and the pine nuts give a nice little crunch!

10 ½ oz/300 grams ground lamb

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon ground allspice

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon urfa chilies

Good pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

1 teaspoon crushed za’atar or oregano leaves

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

1 tablespoon chopped mint

1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon olive oil

Lemon Sauce

1/3 oz/10 grams flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

½ - 1 teaspoon urfa chili

4 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

1 large clove of garlic or 2 small cloves, finely chopped

¼ teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts for garnish

To make the kawarma, place all the ingredients apart from the oil in a medium bowl.  Mix well, cover, and allow the mixture to marinate in the fridge for 30 minutes. 

Just before you are ready to cook the meat, place all the ingredients for the lemon sauce in a bowl (except the pine nuts), and stir well. 

Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat.  Add the meat, and stir as you cook each batch for 3-4 minutes.  The meat should be very light pink in the middle. 

Place the hummus on a platter and make a hollow in the center of the hummus.  Spoon the warm kawarma into the hollow.  Drizzle generously with the lemon sauce and garnish with the pine nuts.  Serve with toasted pita. 

momofuku pork buns.

Everyone in New York who is remotely aware of the New York dinning scene has heard of Momofuku group of restaurants.  It’s one of those places that most everyone I know has visited at least once or want to visit.  It also elicits a lot of opinions in people, there are some people who firmly fall in the camp of hating Momofuku - they don’t like the food and think its too popular and too expensive for what it is.  Then there are people like me who fall head over heels for all things Momofuku.  I’ve been known to spend a glorious afternoon at Momofuku Ssam indulging in their rotisserie duck over rice served with chive pancakes and a generous pour of ssam sauce.  It its one of my favorite meals best eaten on a lazy weekday afternoon when you have nothing better to do then read a magazine and devour good food. (Ssam is also conveniently located across from Momofuku Milk Bar where you can indulge in one of their cookies for dessert.  My personal favorites include the confetti cookie and the corn cookie.)   I had yet to tackle recreating any of the Momofuku dishes for home consumption, but I knew there would be no better time to do it then for a fancy New Year’s Eve dinner where I could test my hands at the famous pork buns.  I have a slight love (bordering on obsession) with pork buns since they are the cutest looking sandwiches I’ve ever come across and making my own seemed most logical.  These really are delicious – salty and sweet with the perfect crunch from the cucumber.  We managed to eat about 10 of them on New Years Eve and then devoured the rest on New Years Day.  Not a bad way to start a new year. 

Momofuku Pork Buns

Makes 15 Buns

So I did a lot of tweaking to this recipe not because I imagined the original was bad in anyway but more so because I figured the tweaking would make it possible for more novice cooks to make this at home (I’ll include both the original and my changes below).  I also halved the original recipe since the idea of having 30 pork buns in the house and only 2 of us to eat them seemed rather dangerous.  On the plus side the buns do reheat beautifully (wrapped in tin foil and cooked at 350 for 15 minutes keep them on there parchment paper).  Also! I purchased hoisin sauce, which I regret now since I found a killer recipe for it online that is beyond easy. (Can be found here!)  I figured I would provide it to you so you don’t have to purchase it if you don’t want to!  I imagine its about 1000 times better then the store bought stuff (I am still upset I didn’t think to look this up sooner.) 

Buns

Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart

1 teaspoon active dry yeast

¾ cups warm water (110 – 115 degrees)

1 ¼ tablespoons grapeseed oil (or pork fat/lard which is what the recipe suggests)

2 ½ cups + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (or 2 cups bread flour and ½ cup + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour which is what the recipe suggests)

¾ teaspoons salt

2 tablespoons sugar

Grapeseed oil

Pork

Recipe adapted from Gourmet

¼ cup kosher salt

¼ cup sugar

2 ¼ cups water, divided

1 ¼ pounds skinless boneless pork belly, cut into quarters

¼ cup reduced sodium chicken broth or water

Accompaniments: Hoisin sauce, thinly sliced cucumber, chopped scallions

Brine Pork: Stir together kosher salt, sugar, and 2 cups of water until sugar and salt have dissolved.  Put pork belly in a large sealable bag, then pour in brine.  Carefully press out air and seal the bag.  Lay in a shallow dish and let brined, chilled at least 12 hours and up to 24 hours. 

Make dough: In a glass measuring cup, mix together yeast, water, and oil/pork fat until yeast is dissolved.  Set aside. 

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, mix together flour (or flours), salt, and sugar until well combined.  Add the yeast mixture and mix until the dough comes together.  Once it comes together, knead for 8 minutes. 

Coat a large bowl with grapeseed oil; add dough and turn to coat.  Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled in size in a warm spot, about 2 hours. 

Roast pork while dough rises: Preheat oven to 300 degrees.  Discard brine and put pork fat side up in a foil lined 8 to 9 inch square baking pan.  Pour in broth (or water) and remaining ¼ cup water.  Cover tightly with foil and roast until pork is very tender, about 2 ½ hours.  Remove foil and increase oven temperature to 450 degrees, then roast until fat is golden, about 20 minutes more.  Cool 30 minutes.  Cut cooled pork across the grain into 2 inch slices.  Cover slices with foil.

Make buns: Punch dough down.  Roll dough into a log about 15 inches long.  Cut dough into 15 golf sized pieces. Transfer to a parchment paper-liner baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap; let rise 40 minutes. 

Meanwhile, cut out 15 square pieces of parchment paper (4 inches each). 

Working with one piece of dough at a time, press dough flat and, using a rolling pin, roll dough toward you into a 6-by-3 inch oval.  Brush each piece of dough lightly with grapeseed oil and fold in half using a chopstick.  Place each piece of dough on an individual piece of parchment paper. Repeat process with remaining dough.  Cover loosely with a towel and let rise slightly, about 30 – 45 minutes. 

Set a large steamer in a large skillet or pot with water about ½ inch up the sides of the steamer; bring to a boil. Working with about 5 buns at a time, place buns on their parchment paper in the steamer; cover and steam over high heat until puffed and cooked through about 3 minutes.  Transfer buns to a plate with tongs, then discard parchment paper and wrap buns in kitchen towels to keep warm. 

To serve: Brush bottom half of each bun with hoisin sauce, then sandwich with a slice of pork and some cucumber and scallions.